Usui Shiki Ryoho
Reiki Symbols(What They Are and Aren’t)
What the Usui Reiki symbols are, what they are not, and why they were kept private for so long.
What are the Reiki symbols?
The short answer
In the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition, the Reiki symbols are keys that an attuned practitioner uses in their work. Three are attuned at Reiki II, and the fourth, the master symbol, at Reiki III. They are not Reiki, and they are not what makes Reiki work. The practitioner, attuned to Reiki, is the one who holds the frequency, and the symbols help that practitioner direct their focus.
If you are new to Reiki itself, start with What Is Reiki? and come back.
Are the symbols where the power comes from?
No, and this is the part most often misunderstood. The symbols are not Reiki. They are keys. Reiki is the universal flow itself, and the symbols help an attuned practitioner unlock some of its frequencies faster and reach that wider flow.
The person holding the key is the one who carries the frequency and knows how Reiki moves. If someone has not been attuned to the symbols, they cannot access anything with them. For that person, a symbol is just a pretty shape, however many times they see it, draw it or say its name.
At Reiki II, a practitioner is attuned to the first three symbols. That attunement is what makes them work, not the picture.
Why were the symbols not shared?
Traditionally, the symbols were kept within the relationship between teacher and student, for two reasons.
So the symbols wouldn't be mistaken for Reiki. There was no internet then, and Reiki passed from teacher to student in person. Keeping the symbols private helped prevent the confusion that the symbols are Reiki.
To protect the attunement. The symbols were also kept private so that people who had never been attuned could not use them to say they practice Reiki on others. Without the attunement process, the symbols are not Reiki.
Today the symbols are everywhere. People have shared them, and they are easy to find. I don't think hiding them serves anyone now. What matters is that you understand what they are: keys that help an attuned practitioner, and not the source of Reiki.
There are other Reiki systems, and some use other symbols or other names for them. I respect them. This page speaks only for Usui Shiki Ryoho, the tradition I was attuned in and teach.
The four symbols in Usui Shiki Ryoho
They are listed in the order they are attuned. Each symbol has its own page that explains what it is by name and role, which level it belongs to, and why the symbol alone is not the magic.
Symbol 1 · Reiki II
Cho Ku Rei
The power symbol
The first symbol you are attuned to at Reiki II, tied to focus and to steadying the work.
Symbol 2 · Reiki II
Sei He Ki
The mental and emotional symbol
The second Reiki II symbol, a key to working with the mental and emotional layers of a person.
Symbol 3 · Reiki II
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen
The distance symbol
The third and last Reiki II symbol, the key that lets a practitioner’s mind connect across distance.
Symbol 4 · Reiki III
The Reiki Master Symbol
Dai Koo Myo
The fourth symbol, attuned at Reiki III. It is the key a Reiki Master uses to pass on attunements.
How do you get attuned to the Reiki symbols?
You do not learn the symbols from a page, even a page like this one. You are attuned to them, and the attunement is the important part. Reiki I opens the channel. At Reiki II, a teacher attunes a student to the first three symbols, in order: Cho Ku Rei, Sei He Ki and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen. At Reiki III, a student is attuned to the fourth, the master symbol, which a Reiki Master uses to pass on attunements. Reiki Master training then focuses on learning to teach, and in the way I was taught, that path is one-on-one, teacher to student.
Attunements are valid whether they are received in person or online. I teach Reiki I & II live through Sovereign Light, and my students are attuned to the Reiki II symbols there.
You do not need an attunement or the symbols to receive Reiki, only to learn it and practice it yourself.
Who is writing this
Carissa Andrews · Reiki Master
I'm Carissa Andrews. I was attuned as a Reiki Master in the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition on June 21st, 2008. You can see my line, name by name, on my lineage page, and read more about me on my about page.
Questions people ask about Reiki symbols
What are the Reiki symbols?
In Usui Shiki Ryoho, they are keys used by an attuned practitioner. Three are attuned at Reiki II, and the fourth, the master symbol, at Reiki III.
How many Reiki symbols are there?
In the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition taught here, there are four: three at Reiki II (Cho Ku Rei, Sei He Ki and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen) and the master symbol at Reiki III. Other Reiki systems may use others.
How do I get attuned to the Reiki symbols?
By being attuned by a teacher. You are attuned to the first three symbols at Reiki II and to the master symbol at Reiki III. Reading about a symbol is not the same as being attuned to it.
Do Reiki symbols work without an attunement?
No. The symbols are not Reiki, and they do nothing for someone who has not been attuned to them. The practitioner holds the frequency, and the symbol is a key that only works for someone attuned.
Do Reiki symbols work if I find them online?
No. The symbols are widely available now, and that's fine, but finding one doesn't attune you to it. Without an attunement at Reiki II, a symbol is just a shape. The practitioner holds the frequency, and the symbols are keys.
Can I be attuned to the Reiki symbols online?
Yes. Attunements are valid whether they are received in person or online. I teach Reiki I & II live through Sovereign Light, where students are attuned to the Reiki II symbols.
Do I need the symbols to receive Reiki?
No. You do not need an attunement or the symbols to receive Reiki. They matter only if you want to learn and practice Reiki yourself.
Which Reiki symbol is for distance?
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen, the distance symbol, which is attuned at Reiki II. It is a key that lets a practitioner's mind connect across distance.
Are Reiki symbols a religion?
No. Reiki is not a religion, and there is nothing to join or believe in order to receive it.
Where to go from here
Take whichever door feels steady, at your own pace.
- See how the distance symbol fits. Read how distance Reiki works.
- New to Reiki? Read What Is Reiki? for the plain answers.
- Begin with the five daily intentions. The five Reiki principles are where practice begins.
- See the line behind the teaching. The Usui Reiki lineage page walks through each teacher, in full.
- Learn Reiki with me. Sovereign Light is live Reiki I & II certification, offered in cohorts. Join the waitlist to hear when the next one opens.
Reiki is a practice of energetic support and is not a substitute for medical or psychological care. No specific outcomes are promised or guaranteed. Certification reflects completion of training within the Usui Shiki Ryoho system.